By CC Pung, J.P
Tokoh Wartawan Sabah and FT Labuan
A stand up comedian from Sabah got his audience in stitches talking about Sabah’s backwardness.
He speculated that the reason Sabah has retained ‘The Poorest State’ title the last 12 years is because of its determination and resolve about holding on to the title.
But what is not a laughing matter is the revelation that Malaysia’s ranking in children’s competency in Reading, Writing and Arithmetic (or 3R) has for years been on the decline.
But hasn’t our government been always defending the greatness of our education system and once even declared an intention to be the education hub of Southeast Asia?
Did something go wrong, or are we operating on a different dimension?
When a certain education minister called Anwar Ibrahim launched a 3R programme decades ago, I applauded along with many Malaysians who, even from back then saw flaws in our education, and thought it was something innovative and good.
But on further inquiry, I realised that 3R is simply the components of learning, and recognised, adopted by all since forever.
I never got to find out if Anwar launched his 3R programme because the geniuses at the Education Ministry then were having our schools teaching some alien approach to learning.
Universally, numerous tests have been developed to test children’s 3R competence.
Malaysia is in the wrong end of the scale, and still going south.
So, Anwar’s 3R didn’t work? Or are we still lost in trying to reinvent learning?
Perhaps the decision to increase classes on religious and simultaneously reducing those for maths need to be given more years to see results?
Sabah is still poor.
Malaysia’s education is a near basket case.
Amidst all the existential challenges requiring national attention, we want to help Palestinians in Gaza and offer places in our universities (which we’ve told weren’t enough for Malaysians) for students from there.
We offered to bring from Gaza those requiring medical attention when our hospitals are crowded, and Malaysians endure long queues and delays.
Unlike other muslim or muslim-majority nations who for one reason or another shunned the Palestinians, we stand out.
Conspicuously though, we seemed oblivious to the humanitarian crisis in Syria, Yemen (where Saudi Arabia has been the antoganist) where humanitarian crisis has persisted.
The posturing is ballyhoo.
The selective posturing is another level.
Compared to those religious omes who think and act for the rewards (whoever promised them?) in the hereafter and fear they may fail to outdo their Divine, I think my future (if there’s such a thing) will take care of itself if I had my ‘now’ dealt with.
When I die, I’m kaput, no more. Full stop.
Sayornara.
Who cares where my next stop is? If I could know what’s coming, I’d predict the six numbers to winning the US800 million jackpot in the US.
That would empower me to tell stupid people in their faces and clean up the cesspool we call ‘modern society’.
Gosh! Just thinking about it is therapeutic!
Cheers.
Editor: The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of talantang.com
